Chairman and Founder of LEADERSHIP Group Limited, publishers of Leadership Newspapers and National Economy, Mr Sam Nda-Isiah, died on Friday, November 11, 2020, in Abuja.
His sudden death has been greeted with lots of tributes and condolence messages from across the country.
The 58 years media mogul, writer, politician and serial entrepreneur, according to a statement by the family “died after a brief illness.”
He attended the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) meeting held in Lagos on Tuesday where he was alongside publisher of The Pilot, Prince Dannis Sami and Ray Ekpu, a past president of the association nominated unopposed as ex-officio of the association.
On Thursday, December 10, he also inaugurated the Board of Economists of NATIONAL ECONOMY Media Limited, a subsidiary of the LEADERSHIP Group.
Though a pharmacist, Nda-Isaiah’s involvement in the media started with his column, “Last Word” with a footnote, “Earshot” in Daily Trust where he was a weekly columnist and editorial board member.
Before launching LEADERSHIP as a full-fledged newspaper, Nda-Isaiah started with, LEADERSHIP CONFIDENTIAL, a newsletter targeted at diplomats, top politicians and business owners.
He was said to have founded LEADERSHIP with proceeds from the launch of a collection of some of his finest articles in 2001.
NPAN in a statement by its President, Malam Kabiru A. Yusuf, and Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said the death of Nda-Isiah described as a key investor in the Nigeria media is a not only a huge loss but even more devastating and painful because the was a colleague and friend to all in the industry.
“His commitment to the values and objectives of the association was unflagging to the very end; he was together with the rest of us only last week in Lagos when elections into the national executive council of the NPAN were held, and Sam was elected as an ex-officio member.
“Sam Nda-Isaiah has left indelible footprints in the annals of the Nigerian media. He started as a publisher right away with Leadership Confidential, a subscription-based monthly newsletter which, in 2004, he transformed into Leadership, a gutsy, stylish weekly newspaper that caught the eye of Nigerians as soon as it hit the newsstands.
“As a popular columnist, Sam told the truth to power. His style was brash, bare-knuckle and unapologetic. For his constancy in that, he was mostly regarded as patriotic.
“His desire to transform his beliefs into policy made him make a foray into party politics where he ran for president in the 2015 general elections. Politics made him drop his column but the general direction of his newspapers was consistent with what he had been writing.
“The NPAN will sorely miss Sam as an active member and for his immense contribution to the development of journalism in Africa.
“We wish to console his dear wife Zainab and their children, as well as his extended family, friends and admirers with the fact that Sam’s concrete contributions to the development of this country in particular and the continent, in general, are visible and appreciated.
The International Press Institute (IPI), in a statement by its Chairman in Nigeria, Kabiru Yusuf, and Secretary, Raheem Adedoyin, said: “We received with disbelief and shock, news of the death of Mr. Sam Nda- Isaiah, Publisher of the Leadership Newspapers and Patron of IPI.
“We mourn Mr. Nda-Isaiah’s death at a time his services are still needed in the media industry and in the nation.”
Nda-Isaiah was born in Minna, capital of Niger State on May 1, 1962 and attended the UNA Elementary School before switching over to the Christ Church School, Kaduna in 1968 to complete his primary school education.
He attended the Federal Government College, Kaduna, from 1974 to 1979 and later studied Pharmacy at the Obafemi Awolowo University.
He began his working career as a pharmacist at the Kano Specialist Hospital before he moved to the General Hospital, Minna. He worked at Pfizer Products Limited from 1985 to 1989.
